Boiler-tube cleaner.



J. F. BAILEY. v

BOILER TUBE CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1913.

191,651, Patented Dec. 16, 1913,

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JAMES F. BAILEY, 0F JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE TO FRANKLIN T. SUTHERLAND, OE JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

BOILER-TUBE CLEANER.

T 0 (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs F. BAILEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jacksonville, in the county of Duval and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler-Tube Cleaners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apper tains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in boiler tube cleaners and as its principal object contemplates the provision of a device of this character in which the various parts may be readily disassembled to permit the replacing of broken or damaged cleaning blades in a comparatively short time.

A further object is to construct the cleaner with such regard to arrangement of parts that the operation of assembling the various elements will automatically dispose the cleaner blades in the desired alined and adjusted relation to each other.

A still further object is to form the cutting blades in such manner that as the tool is drawn through the fire, or boiler tube, the contacting edge of each blade will have its forward portion presented to the wall of the tube as a cutting edge, while the rear portion of each blade edge will engage the wall of the tube as a scraper.

The above and additional objects are ac complished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and thenmore particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this application.

With reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts: Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of the cleaner with the various parts in assembled position. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, with the cleaning blades removed. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of one of the cleaning blades taken at a point approximately midway the length of the blade.

Proceeding now to the description of the drawings, the numeral 1 designates an axial Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 24, 1913.

Patented Dec. 1%, H913.

Serial No. 763,414.

rod, which is squared at each terminal, as at 2, for the purpose of holding each of the head members 3 and 4t against rotation. Each squared terminal of the member 1 is provided with an elongated cross sectionally l -shaped lug 5, which, in the assembled position of the heads 8 and 1 on the rod, are seated in V-shaped guide grooves formed in the head members. Each extreme terminal of the rod 1 is screw threaded, the threaded terminal 6 being adapted to be screw threaded into the operating rod by which the cleaner is drawn through the tubes and the other terminal being designed to receive a lock nut 7 arranged to hold the heads 3 and 41 of the cleaner blades of the invention in the desired relation as will be hereinafter more fully described. Formed on the shaft 1 and between the threaded terminal 6 and the squared shoulder on which the member 4 is mounted, is a fixed collar 8 which acts as a stop for the member 4.

The heads 3 and 4 are identical in construction, and it will therefore be necessary to describe only one of the members, the head 3 being chosen in this instance. The head 3 is formed of any suitable metal and is preferably frustoconical in shape throughout the major portion of its length. The base portion of the member 8 is cored as at 9 for the purpose of reducing the weight of the head. By coring the member 3, as at 9, there is produced an internal boss 10, through which the squared opening and i shaped guide way formed in the head 3 extends, as clearly illustrated. The annular rib 11 formed at the base of the member 3 by the coring above referred to, is equipped with a plurality of spaced blade receiving slots 12. These slots are arranged in the nature of chords of a circle of which the rod 1 is the center. The particular function per formed by this arrangement of the slots 12 will be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

The cleaning elements of this invention include a plurality of metallic blades 13, each of which is twisted longitudinally to produce a spiral-like conformation of both the edges and faces of the member. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be observed that each terminal of the blade is twisted approxi mately through an arc of 90, thus producing a combined twist as regards the relation of the two terminals, of 180. It will thus be seen that in twisting the blades in the manner above described that the terminal portions of what was previously the lower face of the blade are turned to assume the position of what was formerly the position of the upper face. The head members 3 and 4 are so formed that when in assembled position on the squared terminals of the rod 1, the slots 12 of the two head members will be alined in pairs, each pair being disposed with their centers in a common radial plane of the member 1.

In assembling the various portions of this invention, the head 4; is first placed on the rod 1 with its lug 5 seated in the receiving V-shaped grooves, and with the apex portion of the head in engagement with the fixed collar 8. The blades 13 are then arranged with their terminals seated in the slots 12 and the head 3 is then slipped on the squared terminal portion of the member 1 with its lug 5 seated in the V-shaped guide grooves referred to above. As the head 3 is placed on the member 1, the free terminals of the blades will be seated in the proper slot and it then remains only to apply the lock nut 7 to the threaded terminal of the rod 1.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that because of the lug 5 and its receiving groove, it will be possible to assemble the parts in no other way than the predetermined assembled position of the various elements, thus eliminating the necessity of turning and twisting the heads and blades in order to adjust them to their desired relation.

As stated above, the threaded terminal 6 of the rod 1 may be screw threaded into an operating rod by which the cleaner is drawn through the boiler or fire tubes.

As regards the cleaning operation it is desirable to emphasize the fact that as the cleaner is drawn through the tube, the rod and consequently the heads and blades ro tate, and that in rotating, the contacting edge of each blade is firstpresented to the wall of the tube as a cutting edge and as the blade turns, assumes the relation of a scra 'aing edge.

From the foregoing disclosures, it will be apparent that the cleaner blades may each be reversed to bring each edge into operative position for contact with the wall of the tube. By this construction, the cost of operation is greatly reduced.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and. referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most etlicientand practical; yet, realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A tube cleaner including an axial rod, an enlarged squared portion formed on each terminal of said rod, a longitudinally extending V-shaped lug formed on said enlarged portion, said lugs being disposed in a common radial plane of the said axial rod, a head member detachably mounted on each terminal of said rod, each head member being provided with a squared central opening, and a V-shaped longitudinally extending groove on one side of said opening, said groove being adapted to receive said V-shaped lug for holding the said' heads against rotation on said rod, and a plurality of spiral cleaner blades having their termi nal portions seated in grooves formed in said head members.

2. A boiler tube cleaner including an axial rod, a pair of head members splined on said rod and terminally thereof, a plurality of cleaning blades removably mounted in said head members, and means for securing said lead members in assembled position on said rod.

8. A boiler tube cleaner including an axial rod, a pair of head members splined on said rod, said head members being each provided with an equal number of slots formed in the nature'of chords of a circle of which the said rod is the center, said slots being longitudinally alined when said head members are in position, a plurality of cleaner blades having their terminals seated in said slots when in assembled position, and means for securing said head members in assembled position.

4. A boiler tube cleaner including an axial rod, a pair of terminal head members splined on saidrod, each head member being provided with an equal number of slots, the slots of each head member being arranged in the nature of chords of a circle of which the said rod is the center, said slots being disposed to be longitudinally alined in pairs when said heads are in assembled position on said rod, and a plurality of removable cleaner blades, each of said cleaner blades being mounted when in assembled position with its terminal seated in a pair of said alined slots, said blades being twisted longitudinally through an arc of 180 degrees, and means for holding said head members and cleaner blades in assembled relation.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES F. BAILEY.

Witnesses J. E. Moons, E. N, TOOMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Yatents, Washington, D. G. 

